India is capable of winning a gold medal in the Olympics in hockey; it’s time to value sports more: Patnaik, Naveen

“I think India has a chance to win the hockey gold medal in the Olympics. The man whose unwavering backing is driving the sport’s resurrection, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, claims that this squad has the mentality and ability to make it happen.

Our DNA is bred for hockey. Hockey needs to be given greater respect. In an interview with PTI, Patnaik, whose state is the official sponsor of both the men’s and women’s Indian hockey teams, said, “I realize there are a lot of other sports fighting for our country’s attention, but hockey needs some light.

The Odisha chief minister, whose love for hockey is no secret, deserves particular attention as the nation celebrates the men’s hockey team’s Asian Games gold and qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Paris.

When Indian teams play in Odisha, Patnaik, who played hockey when a student at the Doon School, may be seen supporting them from the stands or watching them on television.

When Indian hockey was in trouble in 2018 as a result of Sahara pulling its sponsorship of all teams, his administration stepped in to assist. Without a sponsor, the teams could hardly compete in a competitive environment.

Patnaik thinks the Indian hockey team can replicate its top-of-the-podium showing in the Olympics in Paris the following year.

We should wish for the best. We would provide Hockey India every assistance needed to turn this goal become a reality, he said.

“The Indian men’s and women’s teams have both performed well in recent competitions. We are holding the Pro League games in February in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela to show our support for them. I’m hoping that this will provide them plenty of practice games before the Olympics,” he said.

India last won a hockey gold medal at the Olympics in 1980.

According to Patnaik, who recalled how his passion for the sport first arose, “I learned from my father Biju Patnaik how the role of hockey has been so deeply ingrained in nation-building throughout the liberation struggle. The game won my heart at that point. As a goaltender, I began playing hockey in high school.

The majority of Indians think hockey is their national sport. So, it is clear that the game has a deep emotional connection. We should all be sincerely supportive of hockey. When India competes in the Olympics, it is a game that unites the whole country, he remarked.

“I like to support our teams when they play and I always like watching them. I always go to the stadium to support the guys whenever they play in Odisha, he continued.

Hockey is more than simply a game in Sundargarh, Odisha, according to Patnaik.

“The sport is highly important to the people of Odisha. We made the decision to go forward and increase sponsorship in 2018, when Hockey India was having trouble finding sponsors,” he added.

The chief minister stated, “I am very happy to see that it has helped improve the performance of the teams at the Olympics and the Asian Games.”

The Odisha government extended its sponsorship of men’s and women’s junior and senior hockey teams for a further ten years, from 2023 to 2033, after an initial five-year commitment.

“Hockey games are played in crowded arenas in Odisha. More than 10,000 people attend local competitions in Rourkela to watch and support the teams. We believe that all of this fervor and excitement would help the state produce more outstanding champions,” Patnaik remarked.

Players like Dilip Tirkey, Lazarus Barla, Willian Xalco, Namita Toppo, Deep Grace Ekka, and Amit Rohidas were all created in Odisha.

“Thanks to our efforts over the last several years, Odisha is now the center of the hockey world. The top hockey arenas and training facilities may be found here. Our goal, according to Patnaik, is to provide our athletes with the greatest coaching and facilities.

“We have already agreed to continue supporting the teams till 2033. And we’ll keep hosting the main competitions so that our teams have a home-field advantage and rise in the standings,” he said.

Men’s Hockey World Cup finals in 2018 and 2023, the Champions Trophy in 2014, the Men’s FIH Series finals in 2018–19, the FIH Olympic qualifications in 2019 and the Men’s Pro League in 2021 were all held in Odisha.

According to Patnaik, his government “invests a lot in hockey.”

At the grassroots level, we have built 22 hockey training facilities with artificial turf, and we have many more planned to expand the hockey culture across the state.

“The worldwide centers for hockey are now located in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. Our high-performance center in Bhubaneswar offers assistance in sports science. Soon, we will launch our own state hockey league,” he said.